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VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA-LONG LIVE THE KING
LONG LIVE THE KING WRITER-RAPHAEL HAYES DIR-LASLO BENEDEK MUSIC-PAUL SAWTELL (also includes longer extended end theme which is not on the CD set) TEASER Foreign Mid East type country--men work on a scale and plant a bomb under it. They test the dynamite trigger. A ruler in robes and turban goes out to his people who cheer and say religious hoots. The music is appropriate for this scene although the other music is some of the weakest of the entire series (except for the great Seaview themes which run throughout). Men bring in gold to balance the scale opposite the king's. Nelson narrates or rather Richard Basehart does: "It was the week before Christmas but in this far off land the people prepared for quite another event. For it is written that each year, the Lords of the kingdom must weigh their king and balance his weight with much fine gold--a measure of their true devotion." The scale is balanced but the seat are blows up, sending the king flying and killing him. ACT ONE A rare sight for VOYAGE: a car on a road in a quiet town containing a boy playing a flute which annoys his teacher-governess, the Countess DeMashe and his military aide Colonel Meger, who takes it away. On Seaview, the ship's cook (?!?) gives Curley (who is in a suit and tie!?!!) some egg nog. Curley rattles off something that is difficult to hear or understand-something about going home to New England possibly. Or Wingdom? Whatever. Ski notes to him that it is far. Curley tells him he hasn't lived until he experiences Christmas in that home town. Ski asks Cookie about the captain and the Admiral. Cookie tells him they are in the nose in their suits. State Department official Johnson tells them King Banyon was murdered (four hours and 35 minutes ago) as a first step to a coup in the country which will be lost to the west if the rebels take over. The heir is in California on tour. The foreign country's embassy called on the US government when the King was killed. They need the Prince, now the new king, protected and brought back in secrecy. He can prevent the loss of the country and stop a revolt. Nelson asks about flying but they feel secrecy and safety are as important as speed. Johnson apologizes but tells them "we are only trying to prevent the loss of a valved ally." Crane tells him the entire crew was looking forward to a ten day shore leave. Nelson is smoking (cough, cough!). Johnson realizes he cannot order Seaview to go. Nelson says, "Well, Lee..." Crane says, "Well, I...better break the news to them now." Crane calls--an emergency assignment has called for the canceling of Christmas leave--their personal luggage will be removed from dock and restored to the ship. Crane goes on to tell them that, like them, he was looking forward to Christmas at home, with family. Curley tosses his hand onto a table. Johnson tells Nelson and Lee, "I can't promise you won't be threatened, even attacked." Nelson says, "It promises to be quite a Christmas." When the entourage arrives, Nelson thinks Colonel Meger is the highness but is wrong--it is the boy who, earlier, was playing with the flute--Prince Ang, now King Ang. They introduce each other including the valet Georges, a thin man with a thin moustache and in a suit. Nelson asks the boy if he'd like some ice cream and the boy smiles but Megar not happy about this. He asks about a revolution; Ang asks about his father--is his father alright? Johnson tells him the truth but adds, "You are in the very capable hands of Admiral Nelson and he will see to it that you get home." The boy says, "No, I am king now, now I give the orders." He silences the Countess, "No one can say no to me anymore!!" Chip is told by Crane to dive. Excellent Seaview music as they dive. Nelson shows the boy his cabin, touring Seaview. The boy wants these quarters--the best on the ship. When Nelson tells him these are his own quarters, the boy snootily puts his nose in the air, "Ahh, Admiral, do you wish to keep the friendship of my country?" Nelson gives the cabin to the boy. After leaving the room, the governess stops Nelson who asks her what her duties are. She tells him she teaches the prince French, English, manners, and how to be a royal gentlemen. Nelson comments more than asks, "Really, well who's teaching him how to be a royal human being?" He walks away. Seaview theme never sounded so good as it is on the surface. Boy is in his pajamas. He looks in the hallway, locks the door, and puts pillows under the blanket in the bunk. NOTE: there is a speaker and phone on the wall of the bunk. The boy sits in the chair and seems to sleep there. Later, the lock opens and the boy awakens--he has a gun. A gloved hand throws a knife into the bed. The boy shoots and this brings Megar and Georges running. Nelson and Crane are not far behind them. The boy tells them what happened and the Countess takes her gun back from him. It is her pistol. Nelson calms him by asking what happened while Crane just calls it a nightmare. The boy points out the "nightmare" stuck in the bed. Crane pulls the knife out of the bed. The Colonel touches it--it is real. The boy yells, "You want me dead. And that's the truth. All of you. You want me dead." ACT TWO The boy king is on the periscope island in his silk shirt. There is a stocky blond crewman. Sonar gets flash readings. Nelson tells them to alter course and asks about the boy. Crane says, "He took over the periscope island." Nelson smiles. The boy tells them, "I will not move away so don't ask me to." Nelson tells him it is safer there and if he feels safer there, he may stay. Crane asks, "Admiral, how are we supposed to run a ship with this kid underfoot?" The boy takes a fit, not wanting to be talked to that way. Crane says, "Now look, your highness..." The king says he will take his lunch right here. Nelson smiles, "Of course." Seaview surfaces. Nose: Nelson is worried about the attack on the boy even though Crane took all security measures. The boy didn't make it up. Nelson feels it will be a long while before they settle this. They figure it has to be one of their own crew members or one of the king's own people. One of the party might have had standing orders if something happened to the father--to proceed against the son. Crane seriously says, "In my opinion, there's only one person aboard who's likely to kill him." Nelson turns, seriously, "Who?" Crane answers, "ME!" Nelson laughs and hits Crane's arm. An officer comes down with a message: a ship's gone down and they have to alter course to search for survivors. Nelson tells him they can't--there are other ships in the area--they can search for survivors. Crane says, "It's just hard to believe that one spoiled kid is worth all this," then he looks at a staring Nelson, "We hold our course." Sparks pipes Silent Night and other Christmas music into the Crew Quarters and Mess Hall. Ski grumbles, "Does Sparks have to pipe that music in here." He continues to complain about the prince's entourage--not just the bratty, fresh kid--the whole bunch. Just then Georges comes in for food for the king. He will prepare it himself. Cookie tells him not in his galley--no one is allowed in there but him and he is too busy to fix the boy a meal. Cookie lifts a meat clever at the valet who is ready to pull his own knife out of his suit. Cookie threatens him to pull it. Georges leaves. He tells the King. The boy goes into the Control Room and tells Nelson. Crane says, "Admiral, can't you get this kid out of here?" The king says, "You dare speak of me like this. Admiral I want this man arrested." Crane pauses and then says, "Your highness...why don't you shut up." Georges takes him out but has to ask twice. A sub fires missiles. Seaview goes down ten degrees and the missiles hit a rock near it--this appears to be new footage. Seaview readies 5,7,6, and 8 and fires. One missile misses but another hits the sub which blows apart (ever notice how Seaview gets hit and suffers damage but another sub gets hit and blow to pieces). Seaview shakes. The highness asks permission to return to the control room. The governess tells them he will behave--he's promised. Crane tells him, "Tell his highness, he's welcome here as long as he doesn't interfere with the command of the ship." They get another sonar contact--an object on the surface. No propeller sounds. Close up of the Seaview nose from outside as it goes to periscope depth and slow to one third. The boy and Countess come in. The boy sees the scope coming down, "Let me, let me look first!" Crane asks, "Is that an order?" The boy relents, not happy about it, "It's a request." Crane lifts him up to the scope and he sees a boat with a bearded man in it, waving and wearing a checkered shirt. A castaway. The boy tells them they must save him with the permission of the captain, "I command it." Nelson smiles, "The king has spoken, Lee. All we can do is obey." Crane looks at the boy. Seaview surfaces. The Colonel doesn't want to take this man aboard. Nelson says, "Down scope. Take er down, Chip." When the man is brought down the ladder, the boy commands someone to help the weakened, heavy set man. The man sits down on the deck and puffs, "Now there's a remarkable thing to be encountering in the middle of the Pacific--a boy no bigger than a sardine givin' orders." The boy says, "He is mine. I found him and he belongs to me. I am King and I declare you my friend." The man thanks him and they shake hands. ACT THREE Nelson and Lee eat breakfast in the nose. The man, John, told Nelson he was the captain of a ship that went down in a storm. Crane takes this to mean he was the captain of the freighter that went down in the storm. Nelson tells Crane that he passed the Crew's Quarters and heard John tell Curley that he was really king of an island--the volcano erupted and the island sunk. Lee laughs, "He's off his rocker." Nelson stops laughing, "I don't know--are you certain of that." In the hallway, John plays a flute. Patterson at the door wears a sailor's hat. The boy lets John into the room and keeps the door open so Pat can see that he is okay. The former Prince tells John that "they" killed his father and now they want him dead. He sits on the bed near John. "Poor little boy tis all alone in a wide and windy ocean. Well, I'm a big, friendly...sorta..." The boy asks, "Whale?" John agrees and the boy laughs, then requests John play a song for him. John plays a song which I cannot really translate too well since I could not understand it but here goes what words I could: "The boy ran to war has gone and in ranks you'd find him, the father saw land of song, warrior boy, thou the world betrays him--praise him," or something or such. John playfully moves the flute at the boy but the flinches, making John see his fear. Ang asks where John came from. John says, "Oh, you'd be hearing my story, too, do you?" He claims he was a treasure hunter who moved from spot to spot looking and digging and he found some treasure and took some home--which is way out yonder where the clouds ride upon the shoulders of the sea." Night on Seaview: John buttons the boy's pajama top and puts him to bed, asking if the boy snores. Ang tells him, "No. At least, I don't think I do." John praises his humbleness, "Oh, you being a wee bit humble now, that's a good quality." The boy starts to say something, "I wish..." Nelson, the Countess (good evening), and the Colonel come in. Nelson says, "Your highness, I understand this man is moving in with you. I'm afraid that's impossible." The boy argues and gets out of bed and puts his robe on, telling off the Colonel, "Maybe it is you who wants to kill me!" He demands John stay and yells at them to all get out. John stops this, telling there should be no tantrums. If he were king, he tells the boy, he would quiet down and show dignity and serene majesty. "Now, the Colonel loves you," John turns to the Colonel and asks, "You do don't you? And the Countess, she loves you too. Now the pair of them only want you good." John tells Nelson he will go back to the Crew's Quarters. The boy says, "But you're the only one I can talk to." Nelson says, "I've changed my mind--John stay." The colonel, in the hallway, tells Nelson he will hold him directly responsible if anything happens to the king. Nelson tells the Colonel that the King doesn't entirely trust the Colonel himself but does trust John. After the Colonel storms off, the governess takes her shot, "You Americans are so soft hearted, Admiral. I hope you made the right decision--it could be awkward if you haven't. Good night." She walks off, "Pleasant dreams." Bitch. NOTE: Sara Shane does a good job but she hardly looks foreign--she looks American herself. ACT FOUR Galley: Nelson comes in and sees Curley playing cards--gin--with the boy and he the only two left in the game. We hear Noel playing in the background. Ski and Pat urge Curley to throw his card down. John only taught the boy to play today, "Discard friend." Curley stares at John but then throws. The boy wins. Curley laughs and pats the boy's head, messing his hair. They all laugh. Seaview surfaces. Taranga Bay: slow to two thirds. They are near the harbor. Sparks only gets jamming which makes Nelson say, "I don't like the sound of that--we've got the king but who's got the country." They can only receive since a transmission out would pinpoint Seaview's location. The Embassy in the capital has told them that rebels have a government TV station and are telling the people that the Americans have killed the king and are holding his son--Ang! The Embassy warns Seaview not to land. Nelson tells Lee, "As long as the boy's alive we have a chance." John jumps off his bed and has a fight with someone who enters the room with a knife to kill him...thinking the boy is sleeping there perhaps. The boy yells for the guards and puts the lights on. John throws the killer into the corner of the cabin--it is the governess. A nice sunrise since we could have laid odds on it being the Colonel or Georges. Nelson and Crane run in and Crane has men grab the woman. The King says, "I want her put to death---now!" Crane says, "Now wait a minute!" The boy says, "She must pay!" John tells him, "Here, here, boy that's a tyrant's way--an eye for an eye. If I were king..." Dough! The boy yells, "Well if you won't do it, I will!" He takes the knife and tries to kill the woman. Nelson grabs the boy's arm and takes the knife away, "Stop it!" He orders them to take the woman below and she cries as they move her out. John tells the boy to leave the justice to the law of the land. Nelson tells them the boy has to come to the Observation Nose-the King has to make a very grave decision. Nose--they tell him about taking a video with a camera--moving pictures of him, telling the people the truth. This is risky since the enemy forces can locate them if they transmit. John nods his head to the boy who agrees. "It is my duty, I will do it." Seaview surfaces. In the radio shack, the king addresses his people--it December 24th, Midnight. He wants the people to rally around the throne, put down the rebels who would "make us slaves and our country a puppet." Oh, you mean the US. Sorry, just kidding. Seaview then dives. Soon, the TV station is back in loyal hands and there are many demonstrations for the new king. Suddenly destroyers appear. Radar and sonar confirm this. Destroyers may soon launch depth charges. Crane says, "And we have to just lie and here and take it." John steadies the King and makes him sit down. Bearing 280. Nelson says, "What we need now is a genuine miracle." John plays his flute--it is after midnight--now Christmas Day. John says it is time to deliver a gift to the people of Ang's country--a real dyed in the wool Royal King. Nelson feels the destroyer will "hit us with everything they've got." Radio Shack--the scrambler informs them it is a whole fleet of destroyers above! The teletype informs Crane it is the advanced units of the US government fleet. John plays his flute. Palace: King is in robes and a turban, telling John, "Stay with me." John says, "For a time." Ang says, "For always." John says, "Oh, well, now, that's a very long time." The boy insists, "I mean it--I want to be with you." "You with me, boy." "No one has ever treated me like you do," the boy continues. He wants to leave with John and go treasure hunting with him. John says, "One day you will but now, show them what a king should look like." The boy moves out. John adds, "I'll be here whenever you need me." The boy sits on the throne. Nelson and Crane watch in full uniform dress. Nelson or rather Basehart narrates again: "And so it came to pass that in this far off land a new king sat upon the scales while the Lords of the kingdom matched his royal weight in much fine gold, a measure of their true devotion." Paul Z appears to be one of the royal lords in robes. John makes the King sit up straight in the scale and the boy seems to pick up out of his sad state; however returning when John seems to vanish when the ex-Prince turns away for a moment. Crane and Nelson wonder where John has gone. Nelson nods to the King, "I think the King is wondering the same thing, too." Crane says, "King? He looks like a lonely little boy, doesn't he?" The boy finds the flute of John's in the gold tribute on the scale which balances. Joy To the World, the religious song (not the Fishes in the Deep Blue Sea one) is heard. The boy picks up the flute. The Colonel gently tells him they must finish the ceremony and accept the gifts. The boy sits and ends the ceremony. Nelson smiles, "Your lonely little boy certainly looks very much like a king." Seaview is on the surface and we hear the Seaview theme. There is a tree in the nose of the sub--a gift from the king. There is Christmas Music playing--Hark the Herald Angels Sing or Joy to the World. Chip, Crane, Nelson, and other officers are there (hey, no common crew--call the union). Nelson asks Lee, "Something troubling you, Lee?" "Oh no, I was just wondering about that man, John, who was he, where do suppose he came from?" Nelson answers, "I dunno. It's a curious thing--" he moves to the map, "This is where we picked him up." Nelson points to a place not far from Australia's above left and far off from but under Russia. Lee says, "Christmas Island." Nelson says, "Yeah," and turns away, "Which reminds gentlemen, Merry Christmas to all." He raises his glass and they all drink, Chip and others saying, "Merry Christmas." REVIEW: I really like Carol O'Connor, thus he can do no wrong in this and any other thing he is in. He is so far removed from Archie Bunker here and in his THE TIME TUNNEL episode (where he plays someone totally different from both Archie and John), that one can only give him praise--he doesn't even seem to be the same man! This story was very good and shows the Seaview crew having a spot of fun before the mission is to be incurred on them. Unfortunately, their Christmas is cut short by a foreign affair involving a bratty prince who is now the King after his father is killed. Mike Pettit is excellent as the brat and his reluctant transformation when he meets Old John (O'Connor) is believable and not complete until the strange man leaves him. John was undeniably Saint Nick but this was subtle whereas by an episode like THE TERRIBLE LEPRECHAUN, he would have arrived via a sled and reindeer! Mike Pate, Sara Shane (who played in at least one Tarzan movie), and Jan Arvan round out the prince's entourage, one of whom is trying to murder him. The actors and actress excellently add to the suspense of the story and the inter-conflict quite nicely. A nice story and a nice ending, leaving one in the Christmas mood. This is as emotional as VOYAGE could or would get with a few future exceptions...and it is a really touching story. It is also one of the only four science fiction-fantasy Irwin Allen tales to acknowledge Christmas as part of the main plot backdrop (the other, THE TOYMAKER on LOST IN SPACE could also be acknowledged but here, New Year's and Christmas was being celebrated on Earth and we only see that for a short time and then it was really New Year's). Thus, LONG LIVE THE KING is really the only story in all four Allen shows to present Christmas as an important part of the setting. Mike Pettit is very good as the king, just right in each scene: annoying and irritating to some fans, however, believeable as he is not just a little brat. Pettit also played in THE TRAVELS OF JAMIE MCPHEETERS (which starred a very young and blond Kurt Russell and occasionally co-starred Charles Bronson who is in both Pettit's episodes). Many other Irwin Allen regulars guest starred in this show. These episodes are THE DAY OF THE TOLL TAKERS (having to do with Jamie's group crossing a river owned by his surrogate not yet foster parents) and THE DAY OF THE PRETENDERS. Other Allen-VOYAGE ties include THE DAY OF THE FIRST SUITOR (with Warren Oates and Albert Salmi), THE DAY OF THE PICNIC (with Paul Fix), THE DAY OF THE 12 CANDLES (Paul Carr), THE DAY OF THE DARK DEEDS (with Harold J Stone), and James Westerfield and Leonard Stone play a pair of con artist-killers in several episodes and in one Vitina Marcus plays an Indian girl they blackmail. Such connections can also be found in LANCER, DANIEL BOONE, and THE RIFLEMAN. NOTE: Peter Adams plays Johnson.